Cash-register



(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 1.

I. CLIFTON.-

, CASH REGISTER. l

No. 563,843. Patented July 14, 1896.

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No. 56.35843. l Patented July 14, 1896i TH: Nonms mans co.. PHcmLlmo, wAsHlNww. u. cA

5 Sheets Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

F. CLIFTON. CASH REGISTER.

Patented July' 14, 1896.

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F. CLIFTON.

' CASH REGISTER. 10.563,843. Patented July 14, 1896.

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(No Model.)

P. CLIFTON.

GASH REGISTER.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5. I

Patented July 14, 1896.

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ATTOHNEKS NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK CLIFTON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,843, dated July 14, 1896.

Application iile. February 6, 1896. Serial No. 578,211. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FREDERICK CLIFTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash- Registers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in cash-registers; and it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more fully set forth in the speciiication and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line a a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on b l) of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on c c of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the rear of the top of the casing, showing the open mouths of the coin-chutes. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lower series of coin supporting and exhibiting plates, with the keys passing through them in section. Fig. '7 is an elevation of the keys and rocking or bell-crank levers controlled by them; and Fig. S is a plan view of the series of rocking levers, showing the keys connected to them in section'and also showing the connectingrod for the rear ends of the levers operating the latch for the drawer.

The object of my invention is to construct a cash-register which will automatically register the amount of purchase, indicate by tablet the amount of any particular purchase, at the same time exposing to view the several coins aggregating the amount of any purchase. A further object is to construct a register in which the drawer shall be released upon the depression of any of the keys by which the admission of the coin into the drawer is controlled; one in which the coin shall sound an alarm as it is being dropped into the drawer through the chute conveying the same; one wherein a different-sounding alarm is provided for each denomination of coin entering the drawer, whereby the sound of such alarm will indicate the denomination of the coin representing any purchase, and one present ing further and other advantages to be presently referred to.

In detail the device may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the casing of a form or shape which generally prevails in this class of devices. Along the front wall 2 of the casing (this being termed the front wall asit is placed on the counter facing the purchaser or customer) are disposed a series of chutes 3 for the reception of the coins, the mouth 4 of each chute being upwardly inclined, and the remaining portion of the chute following the front wall 2, which at the same time forms the front wall-of each chute. Carried by the rear wall 5 of each chute, and extending rearwardly a suitable distance and disposed at right angles to said wall, arel a series of open channel-boxes 6 7 8, superposed one over the other. Each channel-box communicates with the chute through a slot or opening 9, formed in the rear wall of the latter, of which opening the passage of the channel-box is but a continuation. Adapted to be supported by and guided within the channel-boxes are plates 10, 11, and 12, re# spectively, the front edges of the first and last of the series of plates being normally adapt-ed to bear against the inner surface of the front wall of each chute, thus closing the chute at these points. The middle series of plates 11 are normally held withdrawn sufficiently to leave the opening of the chute uninterrupted at this point. For convenience the plates 10 are denominated as the upper coin-supporting plates, the plates 1l, as the intercepting-plates, and the plates 12 as the lower coin supporting or exhibiting plates.

The lower wall of each channelbox is pro vided with an opening 13, through which projects a lug 14, carried by the bottom of the slide-plate mounted within the boX, each lug having secured thereto one end of a coiled spring 15, whose opposite end is secured along the front Vedge of the channel-box or to the rear wall of the chute. The springs 15, connected thus to the plates 10 and 11, are under compression, their tendency being to constantly force each plate outwardly and open the chutes at these points. The springs 15,

connected to the series of plates 12, are vunder tension, their tendency being to constantly draw the plates 12 toward the front walls of the chutes and thus keep the latter closed at these points. Directly opposite each chute and the series of channel-boxes carried by the same is an operating bar or key 16, having a stem 17 passing through the wall of the easing, and guided further by a rod 18, extending across the casing from one side wall to the other and passing through a slot 19 of each key. Each key is held in a raised position by a coiled spring 20, embracing the stem 17 and interposed between the casing and the terminal knob 2l at the free or upper end of the stem. NVhen the key is depressed, (as afterward explainech) it is restored to its normal position by the said spring 20. Carried by each key 16, opposite the protruding ends of the plates 1l, is a block 22, having inclined terminal ends 23 24, respectively, the plate 10 normally bearing against the vertical face of the block a little below the inclined end 23, and the plate 11 normally bearing againstthe basel of the inclined end 24. Y The lower portion of the key 16 passes through an opening 25, formed in the rear of the plate 12, the rear edge of the opening being adapted to bear against the base of the bevel end 26 of a rea-r termina-l block 27. The rear ends of the series of plates 12 are connected by a connecting-bar 2S, the plates and bar being preferably stamped out of a single piece of metal. (See Fig. 6.) Carried by a cylindrical rod or shaft 29, transversely disposed below the line of the bases of the series of keys 16, are a series of bell-erank levers free to rock on said shaft,one arm,30,of each lever being provided' with a slot 31, by means of which and a pin 32, carried by the key 16, connection is effected between each key and its bell-crank. The other arm, 33 33' 332, die., of each bell-crank has mounted thereon an impression type 34, indicating Vand corresponding tothe denomination of the coin intended to be received by the particular chute represented by the key controlling such particular type character.

Inasmuch as the denomination represented by each key is different, (being, respectively, live cents, ten cents, twenty-live cents, fifty cents, and one dollar,) and as each denomination is registered on a traveling ribbon, as subsequently explained', it is desirable that each denomination shall be printed on such ribbon along a line distinct from the other denominations. For this'reason the series of arms 33 332, dac., are made successively and progressively longer from one end of the series to the other, as-best seen in Figs. 2 and 7.

At a point in the rear of each key 1G and slightly above the upper line of the slots 19 isl formed a lug 35, which upon the depression of any key is adapted to strike and depress the rear edge of a tilting board or plate pivoted about a transverse rod 37, and tilt upwardly the opposite edge of said board. From said opposite edge and at one end of the board projects an arm 37', to which is hinged a pawl 38, adapted to seize the teeth of a ratchet-wheel 39, carried by a spindle 40, mounted in a bearing at the free end of a bracket 41, secured to one of the side walls of the casing 1. As the hinged line of the board is a little to the rear of the central longitudinal line thereof, the board will normally tilt downward at the edge carrying the pawl and bring the pawl into engagement with the ratchet, the tilting of the board being limited by the pins 42, projecting from each of the side walls of the easing. Carried by the same spindle 40 is a bevel gear-wheel 43, meshing' with a similar gear-wheel 44, carried by one end of the spindle of the spool 46, on which the recording-ribbon is wound, the spindle 45 being mounted in bearings 47 48, carried by the side walls of the casing. An idle-spool 49 is mounted on the opposite side wall of the easing, the recording paper or ribbon 50 being formed by winding simultaneouslya strip of paperandinked ribbon, with the inked side of the ribbon against the paper. The ribbon, as it is wound from one spool to the other, is backed by a plate 51, secured between the side walls of the casing.

From the foregoing construction it is apparent that with every depression of any one of the keys 16 the pawl will drive the gear 43 and thus advance the ribbon. Furthermore, the bell-crank controlled by the key thus depressed will cause the impression-type carried by it to impinge against the ribbon and thus register or record the amount of the purchase on the paper;l

Pivoted to the opposite side walls of the casing are lever-arms 5l', whose free ends are connected by a connecting-rod 52, adapted to be depressed by the downward rocking of any one of the bell-crank levers controlled by the keys. The curved extensions 511 of the levers 51 have formed at their free ends the upwardlyturned hooks 53, which support the transverse rod 54, to the medial portion of which is secured the stem 55 of an ordinary spring-actuated latch 56, carried by a lug or knob 57, cast or formed with the bottom of the rear surface of the front wall 2, said latch being adapted to lock the rollersupported money-drawer 58, resting on the inclined bottom 59 of the machine. As any one of the keys is depressed the levers 51 are depressed and their extensions 511 raised', thus raising the latch and releasing the drawer, which of cou-rse rollsv out from the casing. Carried by the wall 2, directly in front of the plates 10 12, are glass or similar transparent panels 60, through which the coin can be seen and its denomination ascertained by any person facing the register. The several chutes are designed to receive specilic denominations of coin, (five cents, ten cents, twenty-lve cents, fifty cents, one dollar,) and as each coin is dropped into its respective chute it strikes and tilts the pivoted hammer 61 of a bell 62, carried by the rear wall of the chute, the pitch or sound of IOO IIO

the bell of one chute being different from that of every other chute, so that a person can simply by the sound detect the nature of the coin which is being dropped into any chute. v

Guided within suitable lugs 63, carried by the front wall of the casing, and arranged to one side of each chute, are a series of tabletsupporting rods 64, the upper end of each rod having a deflected portion or arm 65, to which the tablet 65', indicating on its face the denomination of the coin that is to be dropped into its chute, is secured, the position of the tablet being directly in front of the mouth of each chute. The manner of operating each tablet is as follows: Pivoted about a transverse rod 66 are a series of levers 67, the free end of one arm of each of which is adapted to be depressed by a pin or peg 68 (carrying an antifriction-roller 69) with each depression of any key. The opposite end of each lever is provided withV a slot 70, through which and through a pin 71, secured to the tablet-supporting rod, it is connected to the latter. As each tablet-supporting bar is thus elevated by the depression of any key the base of the inclined lower edge 72 of the tablet engages the projecting ledge 73 of a swinging plate 74, pivoted along its upper edge between the side walls of the casing. The tablet is thus held up and temporarily exposed to view through the glass panel 75 of the front wall. It remains thus exposed until some other key is depressed, when of course another tablet is raised. As any subsequent tablet is thus raised the inclined rounded edge 77 of such tablet will strike the inclined similar edge of the ledge 73, pushing the swinging plate 74, of which it forms a part, out of engagement with the tablet previously suspended from it, allowing the first tablet and parts carrying the same to drop, when, upon the full raising of the immediate tablet operated on, the plate 74 will swing back into position to cause the ledge 73 thereof to engage with the base of the inclined edge of the last tablet, and thus hold this to view until it is released by a similar operation of any subsequent tablet.

The operation of the upper supporting or exhibiting plates l0, the intercepting-plates 1l, and the lower supporting or exhibiting plates 12 may be described as follows: Referring particularly to Fig, 2, we will assume that the chutes are empty, and that the purchaser has the exact change to effect his purchase, that is to say, he has the exact coin that is to be introduced into any one or more of the chutes designated by the denominations shown in the drawings. The cashier after depressing the key corresponding to the amount of purchase drops the purchase-coin 76 into the chute intended for its reception upon the release of said key, whereupon the coin in its passage down the chute rings the bell, as before described, and lands upon and is temporarily supported in the chute by the plate l0 and exhibited through the panel 60.

Upon the next purchase the cashier depresses the key 16, whereupon (from the relative position of the plates 10 11 with reference to the inclined ends of the block 22) the inclined end 24 will first cause the plate 11 to be shoved in its boxing in contact with the wall 2 against the pressure of its spring 15, and immediately following, the inclined end 23 of the block 22 permits the plate 10 to be forced by its spring 15 away from the wall 2, thus opening the chute at this point and allowing the coin from the first purchase to drop and be intercepted by the intercepting-plate 11, which has now closed the passage of the chute at this point. At the same time (that is, with the movement of the plate 11) the block 27 byits bevel end 26 has pulled the plate 12 away from contact with the wall 2 and opened the chute at this point, against the tension of the spring 15 controlling said plate. Upon the release of the key by the cashier the key is restored to its normal position by the spring 20, and upon the key resuming its normal position the plate 10 is shoved back to its closed position by the action of the bevel end 23, the plate 1,1 is forced back (by the spring 15 controlling it) to its original open position, allowing the coin of the first purchase intercepted by it to drop on the plate 12,which by the time the coin reaches it has also been pulled back by its spring 15 into its original closed position to catch said coin of the first purchase. After the key has resumed its normal position the operator drops into its proper chute or chutes the coin representing the said next purchase, which coin is temporarily supported on the plate (or plates) lO. Thus the coin of the previous or first purchase is exhibited on the plate (or plates) 12,'and that of the last purchase is exhibited on the plate 10. For any succeeding purchase the cashier depresses the key, whereupon the coin resting on the plate 12'will drop into the drawer (before the drawer rolls open) by reason of the withdrawal of the plate 12 from under the coin. At the same time the coin on the plate 10 will drop and be intercepted by the plate ll, and upon release of the key the coin thus intercepted will drop onto the plate 12, (from which the previous coin has rolled into the drawer,) when the cashier will drop the coin of the lastpurchase into the chute,where it will be caught by the plate 10, now restored to its closed position. Thus, again, the last two purchases will be exhibited on the plates 12 and 10, as before. This operation can be kept up indefinitely, the coins of the last two purchases being always exposed to view.

Of course where the purchaser has the correct change there is no particular occasion to open the drawer; but as the drawer is always released with each depression of a key, the drawer may be held closed with one hand until the key is released, when of course the latch will retain the drawer in its closed position. Suppose, however, that the purchaser does not have the correct chaiige,\vhich hap- IOO IIO

pens, perhaps, in nine cases out of ten. The operation then is as follows: The cashier depresses the keys representing the amount of the purchase, whereupon the drawer rolls open,when the change can be made from the contents of the drawer. As the key is depressed of course the coin of the last purchase is caught on the intercepting-plate, and that on the lower supporting-plate l2 drops into the drawer. Upon release of the key the coin on the intercepting-plate is caught by the lower supporting-plate l2, as before, leaving the upper supporting-plate without any coin. From the contents of the drawer the cashier takes out in change the full amount of the bill handed him bythe purchaser, giving the purchaser the proper amount of change, and retaining in coin the amount of the purchase. The cashier then drops this coin (which represents the amount of purchase) into its proper chute, where it rings a bell and is caught on the plate 10, and there exhibited, as before, so that the device always exhibits to view the coins of the last two purchases.

Should it, howevcis be undesirable to exhibit the coins representing the Purchases referred to, the tablet raised upon the depression of the key will always indicate the amount; so also will the bell sound the amount, and, as already described, the ribbon will record the amount. rlhe compartments 7S of the drawer, which communicate with the chutes, are carried by an inclined board 79, hinged to the back of the drawer and supported at its free end in notches 80, formed in the sides ofthe coin-compartment Sl of the drawer. Paper money can be kept in the space S2 under the hinged beard 79.

It will be seen from the drawings that the hammer of each bell projects a suitable distance into the chute to which it is secured, the proj ccting end of the hammer preventing the possibility of withdrawing the coin resting on the plate l0 through the mouth of the chute by unauthorized persons. As the operation of the tablet-supporting bars, the release of the drawer, and the travel of the recording-ribbon have already been described in connection with the description of the parts, it is not repeated at this time.

Frein the foregoing it is seen that the purchase money is never placed directly into the drawer, but is iirst inserted into the chutes, from which it finds its way into the drawer. Any number of keys and chutes may be employed, and the chutes may be made to receive coin of various denominations and different from those here described, each denomination being properly represented by a tablet.

A no-sale key and tablet may be added, as is common in prevailing types of registers. Such would be used for purposes only of opening the drawer in making change for parties who did not have occasion to make a purchase.

Having described my invention, what. l claim is- 1. In a cash-register, a suitable series oi' chutes for the reception of coin, a tablet ind icating the nature of the denomination of the coin introduced inte any chute, a drawer l'or said register with which the chutes commun icate, a locking device for the drawer, a key for each chute adapted to control the locking device and tablet, means for temporarily intercepting the coin in its passage through the chutes into the drawer, and means for tempon rarily exhibiting the coin :representing the last purchase before the coin is delivered into the drawer, substantially as set forth.

2. In a cash-register, a suitable series of chutes for the reception of coin, a tablet indieating the nature of the denomination of the coin introduced into any chute, a drawer with which said chutes communicate, a locking device for the drawer, a key for each chute adapted to control the locking device and tablet, means for exhibiting the coin of the last purchase before the passage of the same into the drawer, means for temporarily interceptin g the coin of a subsequent purchase until the coin of the last purchase thus cxhibited has passed into the drawer, and subsequently exhibit-ing the intercepted coin .in the same manner as the coin of the last pnrchase, and means for subsequently and similarly retaining in any chute and exhibiting to view the coin of any following purchase, whereby the coins of the last two purchases are exposed to view, substantially as set forth.

In a cash-register, a suitable series of chutes for the reception of coin, a tablet indicating the nature of the denomination ol' the coin introduced into any chute, a drawer with which the chutes communicate, a locking device for the drawer, a key for each chute adapted to control the locking device and tablet, means for exhibiting the coin of any purchase, and means for subscquentl y delivering the coin thus exhibited, into the drawer and intercepting and exhibiting the coin of any subsequent purchase, substantially as set forth. l

el. In a cash-register, a suitable casing, a

l drawer for the same, a series of chutes coinmunicating with the drawer, a tablet indicating the nature of the coin denomination dropped into each chute, a locking device for the drawer, a key for cach chute adapted to control the locking device and tablets, a series of pla-tes controlled by the keys and adapted to open and close the passage of any chute for intermittently interceptin g the coin delivered into the chute, and a suitable alarm or bell in the path of and operated by the coin in its travel through the chute, wherebyr the fact of thc-delivery of the coin into the chute and the nature of its denomination may be ascertained by the nature of the sound el.' the alarm, substantially as set forth.

5. ln a cash-register, a suitable casing, a series of chutes for the reception ol' coin, a

IOO

drawer communicating with said chutes, a

tablet indicating the nature of the denomination of the coin introduced into any chute, a series of plates adapted to intercept the coin in its passage through the chutes, a locking device for the drawer, means for recording the amount of purchase, and a key for each chute simultaneously controlling the tablet, the intercepting plates, the locking device, and recording device, substantially as set forth.

6. In a cash-register, a suitable casing, a series of chutes for the reception of coin, a tablet indicating the nature of the denomination of the coin introduced into each chute, a drawer, a locking device for the same, an upper and lower plate controlling the opening of each chute and adapted to alternately support and release the coin of the last two purchases, an intermediate intercepting plate adapted to intercept the coin dropping from the upper to the lower supporting-plate, the lower supporting-plate being at the same time adapted to release the coin resting on it, and a key adapted to control the aforesaid plates, the tablets and the locking device substantally as set forth.

7. In a cash-register, a suitable casing, a series of chutes for the reception of coin, a tablet indicating the nature of the denomination of the coin introduced into each chute, a drawer, a locking device for the same, an upper and lower plate passing through suitable openings in the wall of each chute and adapted to close and open the passage of the chute and alternately support and release the coin placed into the chute, a channel-box carried by the wall of the chute and adapted to guide each plate, a key for each chute, adapted to control the tablets and locking de- Vice, suitable blocks forming a part of each key and having inclined ends for operating the plates in one direction, and suitable springs for actuating the plates in the opposite direction, substantially as lset forth.

8. In a cash-register, a suitable casing, a series of chutes for the reception of coin, a tablet indicating the nature of the denomination of the coin introduced into each chute, an upper and lower spring-actuated plate controlling the opening of the chute and adapted to alternately support and release the coin,

an intermediate spring-actuated interceptin plate adapted to intercept the coin dropping from the upper to the lower supporting-plate, the lower supporting-plate being at the same time adapted to release the coin resting thereon, a drawer for the coin thus released, a locking device for the drawer, a key for each chute, adapted to control the locking device and tablets, blocks carried by each key and having inclined ends adapted upon depression of the key to close the intercepting-plate and simultaneously open the lower supportingplate, then open the uppersupporting-plate, and upon release of the key, to first close the upper supporting-plate, and subsequently and simultaneously open the interceptingplate and close the lower supporting-plate, substantially as set forth.

9. In a cash-register, a suitable casing, a series of depression-keys mounted in the same, a transverse board pivoted between the side walls of the casing, a lug carried by each key adapted to tilt the board upon the depression of the key, a swinging pawl carried at one end of the board, a ratchet-wheel adjacent to the pawl and adapted to cooperate therewith, a bevel-gear turning with the ratchet, a spool mounted in proximity to the bevel-gear, the spindle of said spool having a similar bevelgear cooperating with the first-named bevel gear-wheel, a second spool mounted on the opposite side of the casing, a recording-ribbon stretched between the two spools and adapted to unwind from one onto the other, a backing-plate for the ribbon, a shaft mounted between the side walls of the casing, a series of bell-crank levers each adapted to rock freely about said shaft, and having one arm loosely connected tothe depression-key, and the other arm carrying suitable impression-type adapted upon the depression of the key to be rocked and brought into contact with the advancing ribbon, the series of arms carrying the type progressively increasing in length from one end of the series to the other, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK CLIFTON.

Vitnesses:

ALFRED A. MATHEY, E. STAREK. 

